Studies at the University of Florida have shown that the cornea endothelium may be seriously damaged during acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) insertion following cataract surgery. This was demonstrated to be due to a contact adhesion (sticking) phenomenon between tissue and acrylic surfaces and poses a potentially serious complication in surgery. Application of a hydrophilic polymer coating has been demonstrated to eliminate such contact adhesion tissue damage. This project is focused upon the preparation and properties of hydrophilic polymer coatings on acrylic IOLs and their characterization and evaluation. Soluble cast films and permanent gamma-irradiation graft coatings based upon polyvinylpyrrolidone have been prepared and characterized and exhibit favorable non-damaging properties in tissue contact experiments. A cat animal model and cornea stroma tissue culture methods have been developed for evaluating coated IOLs. Research in progress is devoted to: 1. hydrophilic coating methods and materials, 2. mechanistic studies involving cornea endothelium-acrylic adhesion force measurements and 3. in vitro and in vivo evaluationns of hydrophilic polymer coatings on IOLs. Results to date suggest that hydrophilic coatings may afford a significant improvement in the safe use of IOL implants.